Timer



C which-'- c Patented May 6, 1924'. c

UNITEDy STATESg 1,492,857 PATENT OFFICE;

man' Incas monslavor Los ANGELES,y CALIFORNIA, AssIeNoNv ro rOn'rER INCOnroaa'ran, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, 'a CORPORATION OECALIFORNIA, y

and useful` Improvements in Timers, ofy

which the following is a specification.

It is the ob'ect of this invention to pro'- vide` a timer or the ignition system of an internalv combustion engine fand `of thetype including -va rotatable commutator mounted upon the vcam shaft'of the engine and ar-v ranged to successively engage a plurality of contact'brushes carried by' a casing supported against the engine yframe and received over 'the' end of the cam `shaft which carries the rotating commutator. j

` It is the specific object ofthe invention to so arrange the contactbrushes carried by the casing as to be readily reversible when worn at one end,-and to also provide a rotating commutator which may be similarly reversed when one side has become worn. Further yObjects Aof thev invention will be readily understood from the following description ofthe accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 isa longitudinal section through a timer constructed in accordance with the invention.` 1

` Fig. 2k is afront elevation of the same with 'the casingpartly broken away.l

Fig.y 3 is a front elevation yof the 'rotating commutator; c l Fig.l 4 is an elevationr showing 'a portion of the casing and one ofgthe contact brushes. Figs. 5 and 6y are detail sections on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 4. V L

In the drawings, ay usual engine frame is shown at 1 having the projecting'c'am shaft 2 adapted to carry the rotating commutator of the timer. yA casing 3 is mounted over thejend of the cam shaft received a ainst the engine vframe l so as to be4 rotatab y adjusted through an arm 4 withirela'tion to the camshaft in order tofadvance or retard the spark in the usual manner. j `rThe rotating oommutator ofthe timer includes a sleeve 5 receivedl upon the end of the cam shaft and having a flange 6V at its rear end for positioning the rotating commutator. y The rotating commutator is an annular memberreceived upon sleeve 5 and *W V,Appimaaminea laren 24,131. serial No. 454,991.

which yis adapted to kreceive a lug 8 bent fromflange' of the sleeve 5 in-order to fix the rotating com-mutator with relation to y sleeve 5. A sleeve 9 is received over sleeve 5 and abutsy against the rotating commutatorto hold'the'latter against axial movement, and s'leeves'9and'5 are fixed With relation screwglO and a usual end nut 11. 4

The rotating commutator includes an annular member 4l2, preferably of metaland havingk annular membersgof insulating material, as shown at 13, received against' therecontactmember is fixed against the respective insulator rings'l, and each ofsaid `contact members is shown as an arcuate ring 14, preferably y:of copper `and extending around substantially the entire circumference of the rotating contact, with a contact member in thecircumferenceof ring 14 and' between the ends thereof. Contact members 16 are also arranged in the circumference of ring 14=`bet`ween the ends of the latter and the contact member'li'),` 'the contactmembers 15 and 16 being preferably also of copper and spaced circumferentially from one another and from theA ends ofk ring 14.y Ringr`14 andgcontacts 16 are secured against linsulators 13 and to the member 12 by .suitableA rivets- 18 which are provided with insulator bushings 19 so lthat the ring 14 and the 'contacts lare vnon-electrically connected to member A12, forming a part of the circuit throughr the timer, by means of sleeves `9` and 5 and thecam shaft 2. The contacts 15,011' the other hand, are electrically connected to member 12 as by rivet V securing said'contacts against the respective insulators 13 and making electrical connection with member 12.` v

The Contact brushesy upon the casing of the timer are circumferentially spaced and are adapted tol engage the surfaceof the rotating contact which is turned outwardly, so as4 to close circuitsy through the respective contact brushes as contact 15 passes over said contact brushes inthecasing. It will be understoodthat, as ring ,-14 Apasses overv thek respective casing contact brushes, circuits through the samel are broken, and that the-provision of thenon-circuit clos-v ing contacts 16 between Contact 15 and ring 14; and spaced rvfrom the will prevent tothe camshaft by means of a usual set -spective surfaces of annular member 12'. yA

a circuit being closed through one or more of the casing contact brushes at a time, as contact 15 successively moves into engagement with the casing contact brushes.

The casing contact brushes are preferably supported by the end Wall of casing 3, and each includes a socket member 25 received against thel end Wall and formed of suitable electrical conducting material, with a terminal bolt 26 projecting from the socket member through the end Wall of the casing so as to receive a usual nut 27 upon its outer end in order to form a terminal connection. An insulator bushing 28 surrounds each ot the terminal bolts 26 and sockets 25 are insulated from the end Wall of casing 3 by means of an insulator ring 29 received between sockets 25 and the Wall of casing 3. In order to prevent rotation of socket members 25, a second insulator ring 30 is mounted upon insulator ring 29 and is provided With openings adapted to receive sockets 25. The sockets are non-circular in cross section and the openings in the rings 30 receivingr the same are of similar shape, so that Ythe sockets are heldagainst turning movement.

The contact brushes received Within the sockets 25 preferably7 each consists of a plug 32 adapted to be reversibly received in sockets 25 so that when one end of the plug has become Worn, it may be reversed in order to present the unworn end to the rotating contact. The plugs 32 are preferably of carbon in order that electrical circuits may be closed through the same and through contact 15, which is of copper, Without making it necessary to oil the timer.

In order to prevent accumulation of oil within the timer casing, the bottom of the same may be provided with a drain opening The Contact brushes are yielda'bly urged into engagement with the rotating commutator. and for this purpose, leaf springs 34 are secured at one end to sockets 25 as shown at with the opposite ends ot the leat springs received in slots 36 ot sockets 25 and engaging the. apertures 3T extending through the contact plugs. It Will be understood that apertures 37 are positioned midway of the lengths of the contact plugs in order to make possible the ready reversing of the same.

By reference to Fig. 2, Vit will be seen that the ends of arcuate member v14, and the sides of contacts 16 and of contact 15. are radially disposed with relation to the timer 1n order to form radial insulator spaces between contact 15 and contacts 16. andbetiveen these latter contacts and the ring 14. In similar manner the sides ot contact plugs 32 are radially disposed With relation to the timer, and as a consequence as the commutator rotates, circuit closing contacts are made along radial lines instead of at single points.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the constructions just described Without departing from the spirit 0f the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A timer comprising a contact member fixed in a rotating head but reversible therein and a casing carrying circumferentially spaced sockets adapted to receive contact plugs which are fixed therein but adapted to ybe taken out and reversed and which are adapted to engage the adjacent surface of the rotating contact member.

2. A timer comprising a rotatable reversible contact member` an arcuate strip upon the surface thereof. a contact between the ends of said arcuate VContact strip, said strip forming a non-conductor and said contact forming a conductor, and a casing carrying a plurality of circumferentially spaced sockets adapted to receive reversible contacts adapted to engage the strip and contact of the rotating contact member.

3. A timer `comprising a casing having circumterentially spaced reversible contacts and a rotating reversible Contact member adapted to successively engage said casing contacts and comprising an annular member forming an electrical conductor, insulator members against the iespective surfaces ot said annular member, and contact-s received against the respective insulator members and secured in position by a rivet forming electrical connection between said annular member and said contacts.

4. A timer comprising a rotating contact member and a casing having a plurality of sockets forming terminals projecting from said casing and insulated from the latter, said sockets carrying reversible Contact plugs adapted to engage said rotating contact members which contact plugs are provided With recesses and resilient means having portions engaging in the recesses in said plugs for yieldably urging the same into engagement with the rotating contact member.

5. A timer comprising a rotatable reversible contact maker having sides radially disposed With relation to the timer. and a casing carrying a plurality of circ-umferentially spaced reversible spring pressed contacts adapted to be engaged by the contact maker, said contacts having sides radially disposed with relation to the timer and being provided With apertures that receive parts of the springs that press said contacts into engagement with said contact maker.

In testimony Wheleof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERRETT LUCAS MORSE. 

